Shaft mucking apparatus



0. B. ANDERSON SHAFT MUCKING APPARATUS June 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 19. 1952 FIG] PIE 7 INVENTOR. I BEN/Inosnsou Ww VgyQ Jrronuzys J1me 1955 o. B. ANDERSON SHAFT MUCKING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, -l952 United States Patent 0 SHAFT MUCKING APPARATUS Olaf Ben Anderson, St. Louis Park, Minn, assignor to E. J. Longyear Company, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,388

5 Claims. (Cl. 214-656) This invention relates to apparatus for mucking while I."

sinking mine shafts and particularly to operator-controlled power-operated mucking machines for rapidly and economically excavating blasted and otherwise loosened material at the bottom of mine shafts during the shaft sinking operation. Heretofore the sinking of mine shafts has been accomplished in a vast majority of cases by exceedingly slow, laborious and costly methods of hand shoveling. This involved (a) drilling, (b) blasting, (c) placing the permanent sets, and (d) hand mucking, this process being repeated over and over until the mine shaft has been sunk to a sufiicient depth. The mucking operation, i. e. getting the blasted material into a skip for hoisting to the surface, is done under the worst possible conditions, that is to say, digging downwardly by hand in the loose layer of blasted rock, with no even bottom on which to work, and in restricted quarters. Prior to United States Patent No. 2,326,172 there have been a few attempts to utilize machines in shaft sinking, but on the Whole these have been so cumbersome and so costly that slight operational advantages have been out-weighed by the cost and i" awkwardness of the machines. Patent No. 2,326,172 offered for the first time, to the industry, a facility by means of which the sinking of shafts could be done more expeditiously and at lesser cost by utilizing machines.

The foregoing Patent No. 2,326,172, while it presents -Ii many advantages, is beset with two serious disadvantages. By the nature of the apparatus it is uneconomical to use it in shafts of large cross sectional area. Thus, in the Riddell device there is provided a carriage movable back and forth across the length of a rectangular cross section shaft or across the diameter of a circular shaft, the carriage being provided with a bucket for lifting the rock into a skip for hoisting of the latter to the surface. The bucket itself is manipulated from the center of the carn'age. Where the shaft is of rectangular cross section and has a width substantially wider than the shovel mounted on the carriage it is impossible to reach the material at the side walls of the shaft without manually pushing the shovel from one side to the other.

Therefore, for mine shafts of relatively large cross sectional area, the apparatus of Patent ,32 ,172 has not afforded expected advantages. A further disadvantage of the apparatus of Patent 2,326,172 resides in the fact that the carriage itself which moves along the length of the rectangular cross sectional shaft takes up a considerable I rectangular area. When all of the material has been taken off the bottom of the mine shaft and the operation is ready for the next blast, the blast is likely to blow material up against the bottom of the carriage and cause it to be injured or damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shaft mucking apparatus particularly adapted for shafts of large cross sectional area and so constructed as to present a relatively small area to the rock and gases blown upwardly from the mine shaft bottom during blasting.

It is another object of the invention to provide an imice proved shaft mucking apparatus capable of being readily lowered from stage to stage as the mine shaft is deepened.

Other and further objects of the invention are those.

inherent in the apparatus herein illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to the same parts and in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a mine shaft illustrating the apparatus of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 2-2 illustrating the apparatus but showing a somewhat modified form of boom handling motor than is illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the lines and in the direction of arrows 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines and in the direction of arrows 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the lines and in the direction of arrows 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines and in the direction of arrows 6--6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical elevational view taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 7-7 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus is illustrated in a mine shaft which is partially completed in depth.

The mine shaft generally designated 10 is sunk into the surface of the earth and near the earths surface is generally provided with wood, steel or concrete reinforcements of the walls. However, as the shaft reaches levels at which hard rock is being penetrated, reinforcement of the walls is generally not necessary, and as the shaft progresses down stages are set, as at 12, 13, 14, 1.5 and 16. These stages are usually of I-beam or H-beam construction, having a plan corresponding to the horizontal cross-sectionalplan of the shaft being sunk. Thus, the shaft may be square or rectangular or even round. Where a round shaft is used, frequently a square or rectangular staging will be provided. The stagings are set at prescribed levels from the surface to the bottom of the shaft and serve ultimately to support the interior framing upon which the hoisting elevators of the mine are carried, as

well as shafts, piping, ventilating tubing, power equipment etc. The stages are fastened to the material forming the side wall of the shaft and frequently are simply fastened to the hard rock interior surface of the shaft Wall.

In the shaft sinking operation, the stagings are provided at successively lower levels as the shaft is deepened, but there is always a space below the bottom staging, here illustrated as staging 16, to the lowermost surface at 17 Where the excavation is taking place. As illustrated in the drawings, the bottom of the mine shaft has been blasted loose and is covered with a loose mass 18 of rock,

dirt or aggregate which must be lifted into a skip bucket 20 for hoisting to the surface. ordinary cylindrical bucket having a bale 21 that is supported by the line wire 22.- The line wire hangs loose below a certain number of the stagings but generally carries a guiding sheave into which the bucket aligns as it is initially lifted off the bottom so that it can then be guided rapidly to the surface. The bucket hoisting equipment,

The'skip bucket 20 is an per se, forms no part of this invention and is illustrated merely as a single line bucket, which is actually used sometimes.

The improved mucking apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame generally designated 30, here illustrated as a frame made up of a single angle member which fits into the corner of the staging. This angle member frame 30 is provided at its upper end with a welded on fitting at 31 which has an integral lip 32 that reaches over the upper flange 34 of the staging on which the device is hung. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment the angle frame member 30 is hung by plate 31-32 on staging 14 which is made up of the H-bearns 14A and 14B mitred at the corner 14C. The staging 14 is usually strengthened by the welded-in piece of angle 14D which has a vertical dimension equal to the flange of the H-beam sections 14A and 14B. The stagings are bolted or welded together and fastened to the wall of the shaft. The inner flange of the H-beam MA at 34 and the inner flange of the H-beam 14B at 34 form upwardly projecting edges over which the fitting 31 rests, the fitting 31 being provided with the downwardly turned lips 32 at each of its ends that fit over the flanges 34-34 of the H-beams 14A and 14B and thus hold the frame member 30 snugly in the corner of the staging.

The member 30 is not otherwise supported. It is simply suspended over the flanges 34-34 of a particular staging and hangs downwardly therefrom in the corner formed by several successively lower stagings. Thus, the member 30 fits into the corner A formed by staging 15 and into the corner 16A formed by the staging 16, see Figure 1. As a means of bracing this member from sidewise displacement, it is provided at its lower end with a fitting generally designated 35 having a pair of cars 36 directed in a plane parallel to the wall against which the H-beam 14B of the staging 14 rests, and a corresponding pair of ears 37 directed in planes parallel to the wall against which the H-beam 14A of the staging 14 rests. This is illustrated in Figure 5. The pair of ears 36 are apertured to receive a pin 38 to which the lower end of a diagonal brace rod 39 is attached, this brace rod extending up to and has its upper end attached to the H-bearn 14B of the staging 14. The cars 37 are provided with a through pin 41 to which the lower end of a diagonal brace rod 42 is pivotally attached, the upper end of the brace rod 42 being similarly attached to the H-beam 14A. This is illustrated in Figure 1 wherein it will be seen that a plate 44 is provided and attached by one or more bolts to the H-beam 14A. To this plate there is then bolted by means of studs 48-48 the upper end of the diagonal brace 42. The plate 44 is preferably made so that it can be attached to the H-beam 14A by clamps without drilling the flanges of the H-beam. This reduces the amount of work involved. This form of construction is shown in Figure 7.

Thus, as shown in Figure 7 the plate 44 may be provided with a bent-over lip at 44A to engage the upper flange 34 of the H-beam 14A. The plate 44 extends down,

on the outer face of the flange 34 and is provided at its lower tip with an inwardly bent flange 45. The flange 45 has an upstanding dimension about equal to the thickness of the flange 34. A clamping plate 46 is bolted to the plate 44 by means of the bolt 47, as shown, and serves to pull the plate 44 tightly against the flange 34, thereby preventing its dislodgment. The attachment of the brace 42 to the plate 44 may then be made by means of the studs 48-48. The brace at 39 on the opposite diagonal is connected to the staging 14 in precisely the same manner. It will thus be seen that there is provided a frame composed of the vertical mass 30 which hangs from one of the stages in the corners formed by a plurality of stages and that the frame 30 is held from dislodgment from the corner by means of the two diagonal braces 39 and 42. Upon this frame is mounted the hoisting equipment. Upon the top of the frame 30 and above its suspension bracket 31 there is provided a cap 50 which serves as a support for the bearing 51. The bottom bracket 35 on member 30 is likewise provided with a pivot bearing at 52. The two bearings 51 and the pivot bearing aperture 52 serve rotatably to support a cylindrical mast generally designated which is provided at its lower end with a flat bearing cap 61 having a pivot bearing 62 projecting into and centered in the bearing aperture 52. The cylindrical mast 60 extends up through the bearing 51 and terminates at the level 64.

and the cables that run over them will thus be approximately centered within the mast 60. The spaced plates or cars 65 also serve as a mounting for the pivot pin 69 upon which the lower end 70 of a boom 71 is pivotally mounted. The boom is usually of hollow tubing and 7 is provided at its lower end with a solid extension 70A which serves to make good bearing connection on the pin 69. The upper end of the boom is provided with a welded on yoke 72 having the two spaced side members 72A-72B and the end piece 72C, all integral. The two spaced portions 72A-72B serve as a mounting for a through pin 75. Upon the pin 75 and between the plates 72A-72B there are pulleys 7 6 and 77. The outer ends of the pin '75 extend and serve as mountings for the clevis generally designated 78 having the spaced end portions 78A and 7813, together with the closed end 78C. This clevis is apertured to receive the pivot pin 80 upon which a single pulley 81 runs.

The upper end of the tubular mast 60 is provided with welded on or otherwise attached spaced plates or cars -90, Figure 3, these plates or ears being parallel and extending in the same plane as the plates or ears 65-65 at the lower end of the tubular mast 60. The mast 60 is provided with an aperture 91 between the plates or ears 90-90 and the plates 90 serve as a mounting for the pin 92 as in Figure 4, upon which the grooved pulley 93, as

in Figure 3, pivots, the pulley being of a diameter such that a cable run over it will be introduced approximately centrally of the tubular mast 60. The rigging is as follows: The clam shell or orange peel bucket generally designated is of usual type and is of the type provided with two lines 101 and 102, one line being used to suspend the bucket and the other used for opening and closing the bucket. The two lines 101 and 102 run upwardly over the pulleys 76 and 77, respectively, and these lines 101-102 then extend down behind the boom 71 and are dressed around the pulley 103 for the line 101 and the pulley 104 for the line 102, at the bottom bracket 65-65, toward the base of the mast. The two pulleys 103 and 104 are supported on the pivot pin 67 and operate through the aperture 66 so that the lines 101 and 102, after passing around the pulleys 103 and 104, then extend upwardly within the interior of the hollow tubular mast 60, and pass directly out of the open top of the mast, Figures 2 and 4. It will be noted that as shown in Figure 3, the lines 101 and 102 are slightly spaced apart so as to run alongside the flange of pulley 93. By taking in or letting out the lines 101 and 102, the clam shell or bucket 100 may be opened and closed or raised and lowered.

The bracket formed of plates 90-90 near the upper end of the mast 60, is provided with an anchoring pin 105 to which one end of a cable 106 is attached by a clamp 107. The cable 106 extends out to the fitting at the outer end of the boom and after passing over the pulley 75 81 returns along the course 106A and after then passing the boom may be lowered outwardly until its outer end 3 is in contact with any of the four walls of the mine shaft.

The rotation of the mast 60 is accomplished by means of a mechanical drive. As one form of mechanical drive there may be provided a hydraulic cylinder 110 provided with a self-contained motor-driven hydraulic pump 111 the lowering of the hoisting equipment.

and a control valve 112 having a central position 112A 7 in which the cylinder is inoperative and extreme positions for moving the piston 113 of the cylinder in and out of the cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder apparatus 11d) is mounted on the set 14 by any suitable clamps. The

outer end of the piston carries a rack 114 which mates with the gear 115 keyed to the upper end of the tubular mast 60. In this way by operating the control valve 112 from its neutral position, the motor driven hydraulic pump 11]. causes the piston rod 113 to be pulled in or pushed out of hydraulic cylinder 110 and therefore causes the rotation of the gear 115 for at least ninety degrees. In this way the boom 71 may be rotated in the direction of arrow 116 or in the direction of arrow 117 entirely under control of the operator. Therefore, by let- 1;

ting in and taking out the boom lift cable 106, and by rotating the tubular mast 60, the upper end of the boom and hence the clam shell or bucket 100 may be brought to any portion of the horizontal area of the floor of the shaft, within reason.

At an upper staging, such as staging 12, there is provided an air hydraulic or electric motor winch structure generally designated 120, the details of which may vary according to the power supply available. The motor drive serves as a means of operating the three cables 101, 102

and 106 which are wound on interior winch drums within the motor operated winch structure 120. A control 121 is provided for cable 101, control 122 is provided for cable 102 and a control 126 for cable 106. Each of the controls has a neutral, raise and lower position and the controls have stiff handles as indicated, terminating in the hand pieces 121A, 122A and 126A, at or adjacent the operator station 130. The operator station is provided with a seat not illustrated for the operator, and the operator is thus positioned conveniently for operating the controller 112 by means of which the hollow mast 60 and the boom 71 may be swung about within the shaft. Also within the operators reach are the hand pieces 121A, 122A, and 126A which may be pushed up, pulled down or left in the neutral position. As each of the controllers is pushed up, the cable to which it corresponds is taken in. When it is put in the neutral position the cable is held and when the controller is pulled down the cable corresponding to it is let out. Thus, the operator by means of four controls is able to manipulate the clam shell or bucket 100 to any place Within the bottom of the shaft and raise and lower the shovel, as well as open and shut the clam shell or bucket for filling, closing and dumping.

It will be noted that the length of the boom 71 may be anything within reason and therefore there are substantially no limits to the cross sectional size of the shaft that may be handled by the described equipment.

The winch structure 120 can be located at any stage above the operator station and the operator station and hoisting equipment herein illustrated may itself be a considerable distance above the bottom of the mine shaft. Thus, it not infrequently occurs that the stages are set 8 to feet apart and that the lowermost stage 16 may be to feet above the bottom of the shaft,

5 thereby placing the operator station feet above the bottom of the shaft. The operators view is nevertheless comparatively unobstructed since practically no projecting machinery, contrary to prior devices is in his way. At the same time the winch structure 120 may be placed at a still higher level, such as 150 to 200 feet above the bottom of the shaft, the only necessity being that the operating handles 121A, 122A and 126A be lowered suificiently so as to have the lower ends of the handles within reach of the operator. Furthermore, as necessity requires the lowering of the apparatus fastened to stage 14, it will be observed that there is no corresponding necessity for lowering the winch structure 120 since it is only necessary to run out more cable to accommodate Furthermore, when it is desired to lower the hoisting equipment, it is only necessary to disconnect the clamping plates 44 and to pull up on all cables simultaneously. The bucket is run under the bottom of the fitting 35, Figures 1 and 6, and hence lifts the entire apparatus oif the staging 14. it may then be held out from the staging and lowered to a lower staging and refastened. This makes for convenient lowering of the equipment as the shaft bottom is deepened.

During the blasting operation the boom 71 is pulled back as tightly as possible against the tubular mast and the clam shell or bucket 100, in closed position, is preferably pulled back until it pulls up around the bottom of the frame 30, the mast 6t) and the fitting 35, Figures 1 and 6, thereby providing a tough steel shield for the equipment to protect it against the blast of rock and gases occurring during the blasting operation, or the bucket may be fastened to skip 20 and pulled up a Ways into the shaft.

It is obvious that the shape of the frame and fitting 30-32 may be varied to take advantage of the particular shape of steel section used for making the permanent sets 12-16. Thus, if some section other than an H-beam or I-beam is used, the frame and fitting 30,31 and also the clamping plates 44-44A-45 may be varied in shape so as to permit easy and strong attachment thereto. If desired, the clamp plate 140, as shown in Figure 4, may be attached to the frame 30 by means of a bolt 141 or the like which passes up through plate 31. Plates and 31 thus clamp on the staging 14 so as to prevent the frame 30 from being jerked upwardly out of suspension engagement at 31-32 with the flange of the permanent set 14 or any other set on which theframe 30 is suspended. For the purpose of the invention it is only necessary that the frame 30 be hooked by some type of suspension to the corner of a permanent set and braced into the corner by one or more diagonal braces. The clamping plate 140 is precautionary measure since the diagonal braces 39 and 42 provide a downward thrust ordinarily suflicient to keep the frame 30 from lifting out of engagement with the set.

Likewise, if desired, the diagonal braces 39 and 42 may be attached to sets lower than the set 14, if desired, thereby reducing the length of the brace. In many instances, however, it is preferable to make all attachments to a single set so as to eliminate the necessity of relying upon lower spaced sets for steadying the mucking apparatus.

As shown in Figure 2 there may be provided a bracket generally designated extending across from the inner flange of member 14A to the inner flange of member 14B of the set 14, or whichever set the apparatus is attached to. Upon this bracket there may be mounted a gear motor generally designated 151 having an electrical supply connection 152 in which a suitable reversing switch not shown is inserted. The gear motor is mounted upon a plate 153 on the bracket 150. The gear motor has a drive sprocket 154 which is arranged to mesh with the gear 115. By controlling the motor so that it drives in one direction or the other, the gear 115 and hence the hollow vertical mast 60 can therefore be swung within the limits of the shaft, for controlling the position of the clam shell or bucket. This form of control is preferred in some instances where suitable electric power is readily available.

In Figure 2 herein, I have described the gear motor 151 as being mounted on the bracket 150. It will be undcrstood, however, that it is sometimes more desirable to have the motor 151 mounted on the frame member 30, in which case, it is not necessary to make adjustments between the drive sprocket 154 and the gear 115 each time the frame 30 is moved to a different set.

As many apparently Widely difierent embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments herein.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for sinking mine shafts and the like having permanent sets of rectangular plan fastened at spaced vertical intervals in the shaft, a vertical frame member positioned in one of the corners of the sets and having its upper portion attached to the corner of one set for suspension therefrom, brace means attached to and extending upwardly from near the bottom of said vertical frame member, said brace means comprising two diagonal upwardly extending braces, one against each side of the set adjacent the corner in which the frame member is suspended, for holding the frame member in the corner in which it is suspended, a mast pivoted in mounting brackets on the frame member, a boom secured to the mast, pulley and first line means connecting a point on the boom and the mast for swinging it arcuately up and down, reversible motor means connected in driving relation to said mast for rotating it and the boom arcuately back and forth, bucket means, additional pulley on the mast and boom and second line means extending from said bucket means up- 21.

wardly to the boom and thence along the boom to the mast and upwardly in respect to the mast, and winch means positioned in an elevated position above the mast, boom and frame member for taking in and letting out said first and second line means.

2. An apparatus for sinking mine shafts and the like having permanent sets of rectangular plan fastened at spaced vertical intervals in the shaft, a vertical frame member positioned in one of the corners of the sets and having its upper portion attached to the corner of one set for suspension therefrom, a pair of bracing members at the bottom thereof extending diagonally upwardly to a set at a point spaced from the corner in which said frame member is suspended, a mast pivoted for axial rotation in mounting brackets on said frame, a boom pivotally mounted at the lower end of said mast for arcuatc rotation about the axis of said mast, pulley and first line means connecting the upper portion of said mast and the outer end portion of said boom for controlling the raising and lowering of said boom, reversible motor means connected in driving relation to said mast for rotating it and the boom about the axis of said mast, a bucket, a second and third pulley means on said boom and mast each having a line thereon passing from said bucket to said boom, thence along said boom to said mast and thence upwardly in respect thereto, winch means at an elevated position to said mast, frame and boom for taking in and letting out all of said lines, said winch means having individual controlling means for each of said lines.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 being further characterized in that said mast is hollow and said second and third line means extend therethrough.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 being further characterized in that said mast is hollow and that each of said line means extend therethrough.

5. An apparatus for sinking mine shafts and the like having permanent sets of rectangular plan fastened at spaced vertical intervals in the shaft, a vertical frame 7. member removably suspended from one of said sets,

tached to one of said sets at a place spaced from said corner in which the vertical member is positioned, a mast pivoted to said frame member, a boom secured to said mast, pulley and first line means connected to said boom and mast for swinging the boom arcuately up and down, reversible motor connected in driving relation to said mast for rotating it and the boom arcuately back and forth, a bucket, additional pulley means on the mast and boom and second line means extending from the bucket upwardly to the boom and thence along the boom to the mast, and upwardly in respect to the mast, and Winch means positioned in an elevated position to the mast, boom and frame member for taking in and letting out said first and second line means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 508,476 Horton Nov. 14, 1893 1,584,442 Every May 11, 1926 1,905,434 Boyer Apr. 25, 1933 2,358,543 Toffiemire Sept. 19, 1944 2,440,501 Erickson Apr. 27, 1948 2,474,803 Putnam June 28, 1949 2,479,009 Holmes et al. Aug. 16, 1949 2,491,583 Riddell Dec. 20, 1949 2,509,950 Zierke May 30, 1950 2,519,041 Gluck Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 486,168 Germany Nov. 11, 1929 

